Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1887-05-04
THWARTEO BY HOUNDS.
~ Convlct's Unsuccessful Attempt
Escape from His Prison,

NonVcts Unsuccesstl Attempt eQ
Escape from His Prison,
---~-c, toin, i SEW {, snauow un Suss
center parapet just now, or I've the
olinks," whispered lookout No. to his
companion. Ii s trained hand moved the
bright reflector in the cupola in the East
ern Penitentiary, and his keen eyes
scanned the massive walls that arose like
somber headstones marking the tombs or
thousand souls whose overt acts had
buried them from the world, some for Q
few years, others for lifetime.
1t was stormy night and evil spirits.
seemed to have formed compact to vent
their fury on the little house of frame and
glass that afforded shelter to the men
whose duty it was to keep guard over the
condemned conhued in the gloom below.
Lookout No. laid aside his pipe and
prose His eyes followed the moving rays
of the reflector, but nothing except bare
wall rewarded his scrutiny. "Blinks, I
guess" he grumbled, as he resumed his
putting
Lookout No. / was restless. There had
been an escape not long before, George
Black, burglar, sentenced for five yeaEs,
had scaled the walls. Another success sful
dash for liberty might result disastrously
for those whose duty it was to watch by
night Lookout No. knew this, and did
not propose TO take chances. His compan-
ion pulled away contentedly, but No. kept
moving the stream of light over the walls
in search OF an object which he failed to,
find Directly, three bloodhounds kept in
the yard at night as an extra precaution
against escape began barking.
"The hounds rest uneasy tonight: Z
guess the storms disturbed 'em," num-
bled Lookout No. g
The barking increased in ferocity and
was followed by sharp yelps as IL the
brutes were in pain.
STRANGE" mused the smoker, "Can't
be fightin', can they"
Lookout No. made no reply, but there
was an expression of anxiety in his eyes
as he glanced to where his musket stood,
charged TO carry messenger of death
should the occasion demand
Suddenly the yelping of the hounds was
drawncd by tS, c!anliuJ OF gong. The
men In the cupola graspcd their guns,
threw up the windows, and stood ready
Tor action. The alarm meant an escape.
Below all was confusion. Drowsy keepers
sprang to their feet AMI rushed from cell
to cell, pecring through each wicket, and
calling out Gall right as they found their
charges within. Finally q voice away
down one of the long corridors sang out:
-. 500 is missing.''
That was Judson Wolcott's number. Ho
was known as the terror of Luzernc
County. Others besides the keepers heard
tho announcement, and rejoiced that one
OF their number had made a dash for
liberty. They hoped thai he would be
successful, and regretted that it was not
general delivery that they, too, might
visit tho outside world before the time
specified by court. Walcott. tall, stout
and muscular, had wrenched the bars and
bolts Off his ccil-door, and armed with
one Of the bars, had started ca his fight
to freedom. But for the hounds he might
have succeeded. He had scaled the wall
near the center parapet, and reached tho
yard. With the aid of a rope-ladder,
which he had made and 6scretly
guarded for days in his dreary cell, he
expected to clear the high wall that
draws the line between convict and fugi-
tive. II was n strange sight that met tho
eyes OF the keepers who rushed into the
yard with lanterns and drawn revoivers.
Against the wall, with both hands clutch
ing the throat Of q hound. stood the con-
vict His eyes blazed like those Of a ma
MAC. His striped garb had been torn into
shreds and blood poured from deep iacera-
ueps on his limbs and body. Near him lay
two crippled hounds. They had fallen be-
meath the crushing blows Of the iron bar.
Wolcptt had lost his only weapon of de-
Tense in the struggle, and when the third
hound sprang at his throat his brawuy
hands were all he had with which TO fight
the savage brute.
II surrender; take OF your cursed man.
eater" groaned the foiled convict
The hound was removed, and Wolcott
was taken to the hospital department,
where be remained until his wounds weri
healed. Not long ago he made another at
tempt TO escape, but was caught after b
had scaled one Of the inper Halis. He was
then placed in . more secure cell, whe<t
he remained ugti! his tsrm sEplFsa ~
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